Comparative Analysis of Transfer RNAs by Mass Spectrometry

在化学系化学测量和成像计划的支持下，辛辛那提大学的Patrick Limbach教授和他的团队正在开发基于质谱学的仪器方法，用于识别、测序和分析一类重要的生物分子，即转移核糖核酸(TRNAs)。由于tRNAs参与蛋白质翻译的基本过程，因此开发新的工具和方法以能够敏感和准确地确定tRNA群体和对原始tRNA序列的修改程度是重要的。这项研究将通过建立tRNA群体的多重表征所需的技术来显著推进tRNA表征领域。与目前一次分析一个tRNA的方法相比，多重鉴定的优点是可以在更短的时间内从更少的样本中获得更多关于tRNA鉴定和序列修改的信息。这项研究项目是多学科的，涉及化学、生物化学和分子生物学领域，因此从事这一项目的本科生和研究生将获得对现代生物质谱学领域的关键指导和见解。这些活动继续是林巴赫教授长期强调的一个重点，即在科学领域，特别是在质谱学领域，扩大少数群体的参与度和代表性不足的人数。

With support from the Chemical Measurement and Imaging Program in the Division of Chemistry, Professor Patrick Limbach and his group at University of Cincinnati are developing instrumental approaches based on mass spectrometry for the identification, sequencing and analysis of an important class of biomolecules, namely transfer ribonucleic acids (tRNAs). Because tRNAs are involved in the fundamental process of protein translation, it is important that new tools and approaches be developed that enable the sensitive and accurate determination of tRNA population and extent of modifications to the original tRNA sequence. This research will significantly advance the field of tRNA characterization by establishing the techniques required for multiplexed characterizations of tRNA populations. The advantage of multiplexed characterization is that significantly more information on tRNA identity and sequence modification can be obtained in a shorter time period and from less sample, as compared to current methods that analyze one tRNA at a time. This research project is multidisciplinary, involving the areas of chemistry, biochemistry and molecular biology, thus undergraduates and graduate students working on this project will gain key instruction and insights into the field of modern biological mass spectrometry. These activities continue a long-standing emphasis of Professor Limbach on expanding the number of engaged underrepresented minorities in science, in general, and mass spectrometry, in particular.